Veteran Journalist Makareta Komai says the 46th Pacific Island Forum (PIF) is different from the previous years.
She has given credit to the General Secretary of the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat and Papua New Guinean Meg Taylor for the different approach she has taken in the secretariat.
She says in the past there has always been long lists of priority issues set out by government officials for leaders to deliberate.
Most times leaders did not have the time to be thorough.
For this PIF only five key issues were identified after the secretariat carried out wide consultation on what people thought their leaders should be discussing.
The five issues are increased economic returns from fisheries activity and maritime surveillance, climate change and disaster risk management, information and communication technology, West Papua and cervical cancer.
Komai says in the past there have been 40 key agendas for leaders to discuss and this was too many.
“Leaders simply did not have time to discuss these issues and most of them were just rubber stamped, “she told LOOP News
Now the leaders have only five priority issues and enough time to carry out solid discussions.
Another difference is the involvment of Civil Society Organisations in the discussions.
Komai who has been covering PIF for the last 16 years says implementation of agreements from these forums is something that needs to be worked on.
Picture Caption: (L) Manager and Editor of PINA Makareta Komai, (M) Post Courier Reporter Gorethy Kenneth and (R) PNG Foreign Minister Rimbink Pato